Wednesday, 16 October 2013

The importance of confidence in the workplace: How to achieve a confident outlook and environment.

In the first part of this topic we looked at how confidence can benefit an individual or company to help them achieve success. However, making this happen is a little more difficult, but there are five simple things that can help point you down the road of confidence Wenger has taken his Arsenal team down.Part Two: Five ways to achieve this kind of environment1. The attitude of the bossIt’s simple really, but if a boss listens, smiles and is helpful, as well as encouraging and praising their team, it can do wonders for everyone concerned. People are given the environment where they have a voice that will be listened to and will not keep their ideas to themselves, fearing ridicule, but will be allowed to share their ideas and thrive.2. Get the right balance between confidence and arroganceThis is important for an individual and a company. Arrogance can be off-putting for colleagues and customers and is not something that allows good teamwork or cooperation, in fact, it alienates others.Someone who is truly confident has faith in their knowledge and ability and realises that they can support colleagues and help them grow, without fearing they are making their own position vulnerable. They are also honest enough to ask for support themselves and listen to others’ opinions – a great sign of someone who is confident. This creates a pleasant but challenging environment, where everyone becomes more confident.3. Focus on the positives, rather than dwell on the negatives A boss should avoid creating a negative environment either about the company or on aspects of people’s jobs. If there is too much of this, people will not believe they can succeed. Those in charge should make a point of communicating success stories to their team. A team needs support and encouragement to inspire them to achieve more. In business this could mean greater sales, resulting in more commission or promotion and in football this could mean more silverware or an improved contract. Remember the words of Alex Ferguson in our original article on longevity in a job: “For a player - and for any human being - there is nothing better than hearing ‘well done’. Those are the two best words ever invented in sports. You don’t need to use superlatives.”4. Find a catalyst to change the atmosphere of the workplace You can’t start a fire without a spark and sometimes you need to do something to inspire and change people’s mindset. Arsenal did this with the purchase of Mesut Özil, as it sent out a positive message to their supporters, the other players, and their competitors – the other clubs. This is something that can be done as a company, as a team or as an individual. It is possible through one action to totally change the atmosphere in a very short period of time.5. Make people feel like they can succeed and get promotedSelf-confidence is very important and is a key component of a successful person who wants to grow and advance their career. Projecting confidence in the workplace may be the difference between success and failure. However, those in charge need to ensure these people stay with the company and know their aspirations can be fulfilled. If this is the case, they will work harder and give more to the company. As a boss it is vital to show strength and command respect from your team and colleagues. If members of your team develop and succeed it will mean you and your company will too. You will also maximise your team’s potential and your colleagues will respond accordingly and up their game. Creating confidence and a positive air is hard to put your finger on - it’s almost not real, but can make or break bigger entities than an individual or company, it can do damage to a whole country and its economy. There is great confidence in the building and construction industry at the moment, but what has really changed that feeling? Perhaps, people have finally got fed up with the negative news and decided to be positive and focus on the good. It could be that simple. Try it in your job or company. It is working for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal (so far!).If you are looking for confident building product sector sales and marketing professionals to help grow your business, or have the confidence to take that next step in your career development, then contact us to discuss your options.Tel: 01480 405225 Email: recruit@pinnacleconsulting.co.ukLook at our latest jobs at www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk